MWL1 Lake County Captains

Perez's Strong Start, Cantu's Homer Not Enough

Published on May 27, 2018 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Lake County Captains News Release


(Eastlake, OH) - Francisco Perez pitched six solid innings and Ulysses Cantu hit his second homer in three days, but the Lake County Captains (21-29) lost to the Great Lakes Loons (16-32), 7-3.

Perez got the start for Lake County and allowed just two runs on three hits. The lefty struck out five and walked two and has now posted a 2.20 ERA in his last five starts, but did not factor in the decision.

Perez made one early mistake that gave Great Lakes an early lead. Two batters into the ballgame, Zach McKinstry hit a solo home run to put the Loons on top, 1-0.

Cantu answered with a tough at-bat in the second. Facing Loons starter Leo Crawford, Cantu battled through a nine-pitch at-bat and sent the ninth offering over the right field wall for a game-tying solo homer.

Perez ran into trouble in the fifth, but skated by with minimal damage. The lefty loaded the bases with nobody out on a single and a pair of walks. He then got Brayan Morales to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play and struck out McKinstry to end the inning. The double play ball scored Gersel Pitre from third to put the Loons back ahead, 2-1.

Lake County took its first and only lead of the game in the sixth. Oscar Gonzalez led off with his second double of the game, but almost got caught on the bases on the next play. Jonathan Laureano hit a chopper back to the mound and pitcher Max Gamboa had Gonzalez hung up between second and third. The pitcher ran at Gonzalez, but then fired the ball over the head of third baseman Jared Walker. Gonzalez moved to third and Laureano went to second. With two outs, Cantu came to the plate and Gamboa threw three pitches out of the zone before putting Cantu on for three with an intentional fourth ball and Miguel Eladio laced a two-run single into left field to put the Captains up, 3-2.

The Loons scored the next five runs. Great Lakes tied the score in the seventh against Captains reliever Cameron Mingo. Pitre singled to lead off and Moises Perez singled two batters later. Morales then lined a ball off the left field wall to score Pitre with the tying run.

In the eighth, a Captains error opened the door for the Loons to take the lead. Walker bounced a ball to third and Tyler Friis charged in to make the play, but he threw wildly to first, putting Walker on second base. The error was Friis' third of the game and Lake County's fourth. Walker later moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out, two-strike single by Pitre, who had three hits in the ballgame to lead Great Lakes. Pitre's eighth-inning single hit gave Great Lakes a 4-3 lead.

The Loons tacked on three more runs in the ninth. Still facing Mingo, Perez homered to lead off the frame. Mingo later walked McKinstry and Brandon Montgomery with one out. Carlos Rincon then hit a fly ball to right field that glanced off of Gonzalez's glove and hit the wall. Both runners scored and Rincon hustled to third with a triple.

Mingo (1-1) took the loss and suffered his first blown save of the year. The right-hander pitched 2.2 innings and allowed five runs, four of which were earned. Mingo struck out two, walked two and surrendered six hits.

Strain (1-0) earned the win in relief. The right-hander pitched three shutout innings and held the Captains to one hit. He struck out one and did not issue a walk.

Lake County has lost two straight to Great Lakes and will try to split the four-game series on Monday. First pitch at Classic Park is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Information about Classic Park or the Captains can be found online at www.captainsbaseball.com and by phone at 440-954-WINS (9467). Affordable ticket packages and group party and picnic options are available now.

Check out the Lake County Captains Statistics

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Midwest League Stories from May 27, 2018


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